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souvik101990
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Expert reply
Updated on: 06 Mar 2019, 01:03
Originally posted by souvik101990 on 17 Jul 2015, 10:17.
Last edited by Bunuel on 06 Mar 2019, 01:03, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by Bunuel on 06 Mar 2019, 01:03, edited 1 time in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
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D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
65%
(hard)
Question Stats:
57% (02:09) correct
43%
(02:15)
wrong
based on 900
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
An ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that made it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen possessing legalized narcotics in the open, many prescription holders discovered that they had to forfeit prescriptions that were rightly prescribed by a medical professional.
A. An ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that made it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen possessing
B. With an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that makes it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen to possess
C. On account of an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure, making it an offense subject to fine or confiscation that a citizen possess
D. Because of an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure making it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen to possess
E. Due to an ordinance being passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that makes it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen to possess
Day 5 Question of the Verbal Contest: Race Against the GMAT Club Timer
Please make sure to post a brief reply without revealing your solution to enter the contest!
Please make sure to post a brief reply without revealing your solution to enter the contest!
The first clue to solving this problem is the use of idiom--- for a citizen to possess is the right idiom; a citizen possessing, that a citizen possess etc. are incorrect. A, C are gone.
In B, the problem is the introducing prepositional phrase starting with “with”; 'with' is generally used, when a physical accompaniment is the context. Here the use of with might lead one to think that the prescription holders themselves were armed with the ordinance.
‘Being passed’ in E changes the intent that the ordinance is yet to be passed, while the text means to say that the ordinance has been passed recently;
An additional problem with B and E is that it is no clear whether what the relative clause started by the relative pronoun'that' is modifying--- the measure or the ordinance?; If it refers to the measure, as it looks like, then it is absolutely incorrect. In fact, it is the ordinance that makes it an offense subject.
The pronoun 'it' in D is an expletive; so acceptable.
As we are asked not to reveal the solution, I am not explicitly stating it.
In B, the problem is the introducing prepositional phrase starting with “with”; 'with' is generally used, when a physical accompaniment is the context. Here the use of with might lead one to think that the prescription holders themselves were armed with the ordinance.
‘Being passed’ in E changes the intent that the ordinance is yet to be passed, while the text means to say that the ordinance has been passed recently;
An additional problem with B and E is that it is no clear whether what the relative clause started by the relative pronoun'that' is modifying--- the measure or the ordinance?; If it refers to the measure, as it looks like, then it is absolutely incorrect. In fact, it is the ordinance that makes it an offense subject.
The pronoun 'it' in D is an expletive; so acceptable.
As we are asked not to reveal the solution, I am not explicitly stating it.
27 Jul 2015, 12:38
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An ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that made it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen possessing legalized narcotics in the open, many prescription holders discovered that they had to forfeit prescriptions that were rightly prescribed by a medical professional.
A. An ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that made it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen possessing
B. With an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that makes it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen to possess
C. On account of an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure, making it an offense subject to fine or confiscation that a citizen possess
D. Because of an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure making it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen to possess
E. Due to an ordinance being passed after a recent municipal ballot measure that makes it an offense subject to fine or confiscation for a citizen to possess
Official Explanation
Error Types: Modifiers, Writer’s Intent, Awkwardness
Analysis: This question raises some very subtle nuances between verb forms and reference. Perhaps most importantly, this question underscores the importance of the rule that the right answer must retain the meaning from the original sentence even if the original sentence is incorrect.
- A) The GMAT test-writers are averse to unnecessary mid-sentence VERB-ings. A) is out not only because POSSESSING is an unnecessary mid-sentence VERB-ing but also because the sentence is announcing a general state, so “TO POSSESS” wins.
B) Bad news here. “With an ordinance...many prescription holders”? So B awkwardly sets up this nonsensical situation that many prescription holders are WITH an ordinance. Gone.
C) Has two problems:
1) It says “subject to fine...that a citizen possess...narcotics”. “THAT” makes no sense here. It confuses the meaning, and as the Official Guide would call this option: it’s “awkward”.
2) “, making” would refer to the nearest logical noun, here that would be the ballot measure specifically. Here's where we get into the trickiest aspect of this question. How do we know that’s wrong? The original sentence says: “An ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure made it an offense”. That would imply that the ordinance was passed in conjunction with the ballot measure, and that it wasn’t the ballot measure specifically. Remember, the right option must retain the intent of option A.
D) Yes! Here “Because of an ordinance” sets up a proper and logical framework for what ensued. Additionally, “making” refers to the entire logical unit “an ordinance passed after a recent municipal ballot measure making it an offense...”
E) Commits a loathed act on the GMAT: a mid-sentence “being”. That “being” is not only improper, but it’s also altogether unnecessary.
A note about “it” – There is no problem with the “it” in any of these options since we’re saying: “made IT an offense TO carry legalized narcotics in the open”. The IT refers to what follows, so there’s no ambiguity issue here (the “it” isn’t referring to either the ordinance or the measure).
Bigger GMAT Picture:
Awkwardness - In sentences that awkwardness is in play, selecting the right option can seem fluffy or unclear. That’s why it’s ESPECIALLY imperative that you read the original sentence to understand the true intent of the author. It’s that intent that will help you weed out options that alter or distort the intended message
P.S. Kudos to daagh for nailing the key issues.
